All's fair in love and war
by Say I Love You
Summary: May's the princess of Hoenn. When her best friend and stable-boy Brendan is leaving the palace, and her father may not be returning from war, May's only refuge is with peasant and traveller Drew. Contestshipping!
1. Chapter 1

Have you ever had the feeling Tutors teach math _only_ to make you look dumb? Just to prove that, no matter how good you are at English or science, you will never be a straight A student? That's how I felt right then.

Not that I cared. Once I took the throne, I'd be set for life.

"May, are you even listening?" my Tutor asked, eyeing the doodles in my notebook. I stayed silent

She sighed, "I told you if you don't start paying attention you'll never learn. It's all going in one ear and coming out the other!"

_Wrong, _I thought,_ it's not going in at all._

She closed her book and left, shaking her head all the way.

I did the same, but I left through another door- the one she'd taken led to the servant's quarters, not a place suitable for the princess of Hoenn.

I hurried down the Palace halls, heading towards my chambers. I'd been hoping class would early so I could do what I really loved- study the peasants! As filthy as they were, they led very interesting lives and often had stories of faraway places I'd never heard of.

That's what I really wanted to do- to travel, to study cultures, to meet incredible people with incredible stories. Not all that easy when you have to rule an entire region single-handedly- or at least, until I chose a suitor.

I reached my door and hurried in. The room had a mainly read theme- red walls, red lamp, red carpet- but there was some white in there as well. Two French doors led out onto a patio.

I pulled out my commoners outfit, a dark brown tunic and a light brown pair of trousers, both made out of the same rough material. I ran my fingers through my hair a few times in an attempt to disorganize it. I gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror. Satisfied, I grabbed my cloak and walked out onto the patio.

The patio had a hedge on the border and a gate that led directly to the gardens. From there I walked towards the stables. No one questioned me.

"Tack me up, Brendan," I asked with a smile. Brendan had been working in the stables for as long as I could remember- and probably longer. He was about two or three years older than me, but he was my best friend.

Which was why I was confused about the please-don't-kill-me-look he was giving me.

"Miss Berlitz and Miss Waterflower have taken the ponyta for a ride," he replied nervously. I was getting worried. Brendan _never _talked to me like this- like I was a princess and he was a servant.

"What gives?" I asked, obviously worried.

"Huh?"

"You're acting... differently..."

He looked at the ground. "I'm leaving Hoenn, May. I met someone." He whispered.

I blinked a few times before it sunk in. _You're going to be on your own again._ My eyes started welling up.

"Aww May, please don't cry!" he begged, pulling me into a hug.I pushed him away.

"I'm okay," I wiped away the tears and gave him a grin, "what's her name?"

"Her name's- ."

The sound of hooves and giggles cut him off.

"That was great!" Dawn Berlitz laughed as she skilfully dismounted

"I think I'll stick to the swimming pool..." Misty Waterflower said as she tried to copy Dawn. Dawn giggled and helped Misty dismount. They greeted us with warm smiles. I gave them a nod as I climbed onto Dawn's ponyta.

Okay, I lied earlier. Dawn and Misty best friends were my best friends too.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Petalburg City. Home to the royal family,_" the sign read. It hadn't always like that, though. When I was a kid my family and I would come out here in the summer. That was when it hadn't been a city, only a quiet, out-of-the-way village. The last time I read that sign it said "_where people mingle with nature_".

But then the war began. The Kanto Royal Forces attacked La Rousse. The Hoenn royal family had no choice but to leave La Rousse and hide out in a quiet, out-of-the-way-place.

Like Petalburg.

I put my hand in my brown satchel and pulled out an old photograph, yellowed with time. My father stood behind my mother, arms wrapped around her waist, while she cradled a small bundle in her arms. They were both smiling brightly at the camera.

On the back, in my mother's handwriting, was scrawled _Andrew, Leslie and Drew Hayden- Petalburg._

I shoved it back in the bag. I had to keep moving forward.

In the square there were farmers calling out their wares and woman trying to haggle with them. Some things never change.

I tilted my hat a little lower so it was covering my eyes. Slowly, sound was being drowned out. I didn't know why I was getting so worked up. Petalburg was just another city I was passing through.

I couldn't hear anything now. That's how I ended up walking into her.

I took my hat off and I saw her land on her butt.

She was pretty- brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was also mad. I offered her my hand but she just slapped it away.

"ARE YOU BLIND OR SOMETHING!" she yelled, picking herself up from the ground. I smirked. I hadn't even opened my mouth yet and she was upset. New record.

"What are you laughing at?" she whispered, on the verge of tears.

"Aw geez, don't cry!" I said, losing the smirk.

"I'm not crying!" she argued. I rolled my eyes. "You owe me now. You look like a traveller. Tell me a story!" She squealed, "by the way, my names May."

"I'm Drew, and a story?" I was confused.

She nodded. "Yeah, a story! But not here. C'mon!" she grabbed my hand and started dragging me off.

X-X

Way shorter than the last one ^^; Cookies to all who reveiw!


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